Straight razor maintenance.

[Fergiebilly]

Now I have 1 naniwa-super-stone, what others do you recommend I buy should I decide to try and learn full honing?
Obviously I will be practising on a cheap razor and not any of my razors I currently own.

I have a Naniwa Super Stone 3000K/8000K & 800K/5000K Combination Stone Set I Can Let Ya Have for a Decent Price..PM Me If You are Interested in Em. & their Condition.

That Will Offer Ya..1 K,, 3 K, 5 K, 8 K, 12 K Which is an Ideal Progression. That is the Progression I Use...

Billy

 

[RussellR5555]

Now I have 1 naniwa-super-stone, what others do you recommend I buy should I decide to try and learn full honing?
Obviously I will be practising on a cheap razor and not any of my razors I currently own.

If you are looking to completely hone razors that you find on eBay or wherever.

You will need some sort of bevel setter , these are usually in the 1/2k range.

Then 2/3 intermediate stones , I have moved more over to natural stones , but i did have a synthetic progression that was 1k Naniwa , 3k Shapton , 6k Shapton , 12k Naniwa.

Also you can happily shave off the 12k with no need for paste , it produces a wonderful edge.

 

[Johnny Bravo]

If you are looking to completely hone razors that you find on eBay or wherever.

You will need some sort of bevel setter , these are usually in the 1/2k range.

Then 2/3 intermediate stones , I have moved more over to natural stones , but i did have a synthetic progression that was 1k Naniwa , 3k Shapton , 6k Shapton , 12k Naniwa.

Also you can happily shave off the 12k with no need for paste , it produces a wonderful edge.

Your razor has a brilliant edge, I might hold fire on the paste until the 12k stone arrives and just see how it goes. you might have saved me around £90 and the wife can invest that money into shoes

 

[mcgruff]

The Naniwa will need lapped before use: draw a pencil grid from edge to edge and corner to corner then grind away until the last spot of graphite is gone. Purpose-built diamond lapping plates are expensive but wet & dry paper (about 400 grit?) on a very flat surface like a granite slab or a large tile works well too. Lap under running water.

It's probably a good idea to round the edges down a little - but not too much. With my first stone, I rounded the edges off beautifully only to discover I'd taken them in so far the full width of the razor would no longer fit on the stone!

One possible drawback with the super stones is dimensional stability as they get soaked & dry out. I haven't noticed a problem with my 1k and 10k but some people seem to have issues. Draw a grid & re-lap every now and again to check they're still flat. Regular use will eventually cause some wear quite apart from the stability issue.

If the stone clags up with dirt (very fine swarf) you can often wipe it clean with a dishwashing sponge. If that doesn't work a few laps will do the trick.

It's kind of nice to see a little grey in the water: it tells you that the stone is doing something although I guess it could just be coming off the spine. Take your time on the finishing stone, at least until you get a good feel for it. Precision and a light touch is more important than speed.

I used to count laps but now I don't bother. I think I do better if I just concentrate on the way the razor feels on the stone.

Full disclosure: I know some of the theory, and have had a little practice, but I've still got a way to go before I can say I've learned to hone.

 

[RussellR5555]

Your razor has a brilliant edge, I might hold fire on the paste until the 12k stone arrives and just see how it goes. you might have saved me around £90 and the wife can invest that money into shoes

Thanks Mark

The one on the razor you bought from me was done with a Japanese Natural Stone , but the Naniwa can achieve similar results.

Just to clarify as well , when i say shave straight off the 12k , you would strop it on you existing linen and leather before shaving with it , after you have touched up the edge on the stone.